


Different | HYYH

by Multifandomness_101



Category: No Fandom
Genre: F/M, I just wanted to write this for some reason, I suck at tags, I'll eventually post it here too, It came after writing something on tumblr, Mentions of PJO fandom and greek mythology, Mild crude language if you couldn't tell from the summary, Slightly graphic, doesn't really belong to a fandom, halp, i don't know where this came from, mentions of abuse, this sucks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-11-20
Packaged: 2018-11-19 04:55:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11306109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multifandomness_101/pseuds/Multifandomness_101
Summary: Y/n is strong. She always has been. But there will be a moment of total weakness and vulnerability.And she knows that when that moment comes, she's totally fucked.





	1. Ma City

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry, not sorry, that this only has mentionings of fandoms, and doesn't actually take place with characters from fandoms. I came up with this after I wrote something on Tumblr about angels and things like that. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy! Let me know in the comments your thoughts because unlike the OFC, I'm not a mind-reader! Advice and criticism are always welcome and appreciated.

‘Jesus Christ, when will this class end?’ I glance down at my mauve wristwatch, impatience making the last block of the day feel like much longer than the normal 40 minutes. Yes! 3:25 PM. The bell’s about to ring, and this hellish eternity is almost over.  
“Alright guys, before you pack up, I’ll give you your homework for this weekend. As we’ve been studying perspectives of the world, we’ll be doing something a little differently this time,” Professor Ange started. My classmates were just as surprised as I was, seeing as usually, our homework was just a little research projects or some text work. ‘This ought to be interesting for once...’ “Your assignment is to get an average shot of our world and give it a new perspective; because I want you guys to be a little bit more creative in your writing, you may take that in any way you deem possible. You may work in partners, or individually. You are allowed to use filters, editing, and photoshop in your photos.” The class instantly starts talking about what they’re going to do; I overheard some people talking about doing fields, the hills, and cities. I even heard someone talk about a picture of scenery through the lens of a camera. Professor was about to dismiss us when he suddenly remembered something. “One more thing, class, this will be next week’s writing assignment. So make sure it is decently easy to work with. If you want to get a head start on this one, you may.” He then finally dismisses us.  


I knew what I was going to have my for the photo as soon as he said new perspective. Thankfully, my parents were out of town for business for four more weeks still, so getting the shot will be no problem. “Baldwin, you up to hang out together next weekend?” I ask my tablemate.

“Sure! How’s Saturday night?” He responds, his bright red & curly locks almost whipping me in the face.

“Sounds good, meet up at my place for supper too?” I offer, knowing he’d be alone in his house too.

“Aight, see you then!” Baldwin nods, and I wave goodbye. Ugh, I have to take the bus home. 

Don’t get me wrong, the bus ride itself isn’t that bad, it’s the 20 minute wait that sucks. I’d really rather just zip home straight away, but there are too many mortals around with it being May long weekend and all. Also, my bag is too heavy to lug across the hills without being seen. It just wasn’t worth the risk.

I walk into the empty outdoor courtyard, with the giant fireball in the sky beating down on anyone in reach of the rays. Despite it being only spring, it was already almost 35 degrees Celsius, which is considered pretty damn hot in Canada. I could feel my schoolmates’ looks of bewilderment, which I can understand.

I can hear thoughts that stood out a bit more than others; it was a male voice, with cockiness, and general annoyingness that grates on my nerves every day. I immediately recognized the owner of said voice.

Aaron. fucking. Vanitas. 

I try to ignore the expectations and stereotypes that society has drilled into my brain. I really do.

But this little shit certainly lives up to the stereotypical fuck-boy. He may not be as bad as it gets, but he is definitely one of the most irritating, infuriating, and damn frustrating people I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. All because he thinks he’s better than everyone just because he lives way out of town, in a freaking mansion of a house. I had to work on a partnered project with him, and let me tell you, it was not fun. Sure, he has good ideas, but he’s so rude about it.

When I finally snapped because of his asshole-ish behaviour, he was suddenly all quiet and compliant.

It was almost as if... as if I’d scared him.

The next day, he acted like nothing had happened, but it seemed like he had changed a little; he was a little more careful of what he said to others. His whole mindset and headspace seemed to have changed overnight. It was like he was another person entirely. For once he was more cautious and almost caring. Almost.

‘How can she just stand there in that sun, with a completely black hoodie, skinny jeans, and even fricking combat boots? It’s like halfway to boiling. How is she not dead yet from heat-stroke?’

Even his thoughts are irritating. I decided to instead focus on Baldwin’s thoughts, seeing as he doesn’t drive me up the wall. Well, when he isn’t doing dumb stunts that might get him killed.

‘I still don’t understand how she is still almost white when she spends that much time in the sun. And her excuse was that she doesn’t tan or burn as easily as from the sun. I seriously wonder about that girl sometimes.’

Deciding that that’s enough mind-reading for a while, I see that my bus had finally arrived. I climb up the metal stairs. After saying hi to the bus driver, Mrs. Kelly, I head to my usual spot: the single seater at the very back of the bus. I put in my earphones and hit shuffle on my playlist “Day Dreaming”.

I blasted "SEA" in my ears so loud that the bus driver could probably hear it. I look out my window and imagine flying outside the bus. I imagine the cold wind against my face, the sensation of my spinal fins straightening and bending on the turns. I imagine everyone’s reaction to seeing me outside: shock, surprise, amazement, and probably some disgust from a few people. A small smile develops on my face as I imagine their expressions. I look up, knowing it’s almost time for my stop.

I step down the stairs, wait for Mrs. Kelly’s signal, and then I cross the gravel road to get to my kilometer long driveway. Once I hear their thoughts begin to fade out from my mind, I take out my earphones and put them in my zipper pocket along with my phone. I close the lock on the end of the zipper, just to make sure nothing will fall out. I take off my hoodie, revealing the just barely visible black nubs of my wings on my shoulder blades. I rearrange my hold on my hoodie, and then let my deep black wings expand to full size. When they’re done growing back and my spinal fins have propped up again after being pressed against my sweater the whole day, I arch and crack my back.

I extend my wings, like a cat about to pounce, and then take off home. When I get home, I don’t bother shrinking my wings back to nubs, seeing as I was home alone. This was a rare moment: I was finally by myself and could actually fully relax, without having to worry about someone seeing me.

That evening, I change into all black clothing, with my special shirt that allows my wings and spinal fins to fully extend without having to worry about the fabric ripping to shreds; thank you, Gabriel. I grab my camera and take off towards the hills of the countryside. Earlier in class, I decided that my photo would be of an upside down Sunset at Moon Light Cove. I would take it so that the cliffs and waterfalls would replace the sky and the clouds, and vice versa. I fly down towards the lake, getting there just before sunset. I turn upside down and just hover in place for a few minutes in order to get a good number of shots to choose from.

When I’ve finished, I dive down to the earth. I slow myself so that I can walk on the ledge to behind one of the smaller waterfalls. I trudge across the slippery wet rocks to behind the spray of fresh water. I stop for a second to admire the view. From this angle, nothing but wildlife would even be barely able to see me, but I could see everything. I begin walking on a small path that would lead me through the forest and to the canola fields of my family friend, named Gabriel.

He happens to know about my little secret because he has a little secret too. I found out when I asked him about his namesake: Gabrielle, the angel from the Bible. I had said that he was quite a godsend, as he’d helped me through all of high school. He was honestly more of a father figure than my actual father was, and his wife, Mary, had been more of a mother figure than my mother will ever be. He had said something that put me off: “Aw, thank you, Y/n, that’s very kind of you to say. However, I don’t think I’m a godsend. If anything, I’m quite the opposite.” I knew something was up, and when I saw the mischievous glint in his eye, it clicked.

I began walking through the tunnel towards the cliff when I noticed my spinal fins tingle. ‘Someone’s watching me. I-I’ve gotta get out of here!’


	2. Run part1/2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Y/n gets out of there

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this chapter has two parts. No, neither of them are actually long enough to be split into two parts, but it adds suspense and stuff.

I start sprinting towards the ledge, clutching onto my camera to keep it from bouncing about. I fly straight up and into the clouds to be as far from sight as possible. I then zip over to Gabriel’s house, where Mary is cooking dinner while he’s still out in the fields. I knock on the door urgently, adrenaline still coursing through my veins. When Mary sees it’s me through the peephole, she opens the door immediately. I practically collapse into her arms as I’m almost in tears. “I-I’ve m-made the b-biggest mistake of m-my entire-ire existence,” I manage to stammer out between gulps of air.

“Sweetie, sweetie, what happened?” She asks, obviously concerned for my well-being. After all, I had only cried maybe once or twice when I’d had a panic attack and Baldwin wasn’t picking up the phone. Gabriel came rushing in, having heard Mary’s worried thoughts.

_(Gabriel, Mary, Reader)_

_Take deep breaths, my dear, deep breaths. Whenever you’re ready, we’ll listen._

_O-okay. I think I’m ready to tell you now. So I was taking a picture of the waterfalls and the sunset for school. I was at Moon Light Cove, and I didn’t hear or sense anyone nearby, so I thought it would be safe to keep my wings out. I was wrong._ So _wrong._

_Y/n, what are you trying to say?_

_I’m saying that someone was watching me!_

Gabriel and Mary both gasped aloud. I almost burst into tears again.

_Hey, hey, hey. Everything’s going to be okay. But we need to know the circumstances, alright?_

I nod.

_How did you notice that they were watching you?_

_I felt my spinal fins tingling._

_Oh, alright, then. It was definitely a human. They had to have known about Moon Light Cove, though, so they must know the area._

_That means they live nearby. Since they didn’t alert you to their presence, it was most likely a teenager, someone around your age, actually._

_Do you know anyone around your age that lives around here, Y/n?_

_No, not really. All of my bus mates live closer to town since I’m the last stop._

_All will be well, then._

_I agree. As long as they don’t know you, where you live, or what you look like, this will all blow over in no time._

_What should I do in the meantime?_

_I suggest you lay low for a while._

_Exactly. Wait long enough, and whoever saw you will probably think it was just a hallucination._

_Really? They’ll fool themselves into thinking that?_

_Mm, not exactly, but yeah. Basically, there’s a part our brain that can differentiate between what’s real and what is just our imagination. With humans, that part of their brain is a bit weaker, so the line between dreams and reality is a bit more blurred. Not by very much, but just enough that they’ll think they haven’t had enough sleep if they see something they can’t comprehend. They used to be stronger, but now with all the cultural diversity, it has weakened._

_Humans can get quite creative with explanations for things they don’t understand, can’t they? And they seem completely baffled by the idea of anything illogical._

_That exactly right, Y/n. Ah, I remember when you first found out we had wings too. It seems like just yesterday, we were teaching you how to fly and use the headwinds to your advantage. Are you alright now, honey?_

_Yes, much better. Thank you for being the best things I could never ask for._

_Aw! You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to us since we met._

_Really? You mean it?_

We all come together for a group hug.

_Yes, we mean it. Now, shouldn’t you be getting home, darling? It’s getting late, 10:30!_

_Already? Wow! Time flies. Do you think I can fly home, now?_

_Yeah, it’s pretty dark out, and with what you’re wearing, the chances of seeing you out there are even slimmer._

_Alrighty then! I’m off. See you in a bit!_


	3. Run part 2/2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shit happens and Y/n gets help from an unexpected ally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot twist!

_‘Woo, am I ever tired. In the middle of a flight, too. This is really weird. I’ve never felt this..._ weak _before.’_

I adjust my bird-mask a little to attempt to get more oxygen.

I wobble a little, dropping a few feet, and then gaining altitude again. ‘ _I need to rest_.’ I land, sit on the grass, and put a hand on my forehead under my mask. ‘ _Great. Just great. How did I not feel this before? I guess I wouldn’t know the symptoms of it, seeing as I’ve never gotten sick before. Ah, it must’ve been that weird-ass plant from earlier. I must've scraped myself on it somehow. What was it called? Devil’s Snare? No, that’s from Harry Potter. Oh! Demons’ Dread. You'd think a plant that came from the blood of a demon that was slain in battle, hundreds of years ago would be rather super dramatic, but nope._

__

Fuck, the effects are kicking in. I blink my eyes quickly to get rid of the black dots.

I look around, trying to find someone, anyone, who has fresh water. I see an unfortunately familiar-looking mansion. ‘ _Help is help. And I need it._ ’ With that thought, I begin trudging up the hill.

* * *

I finally reach the door, weak as can be. I can feel my eyes drooping shut. My wings went into paralysis half-way up the climb, along with my shoulders and arms. I can barely keep myself balanced on my feet, seeing as from my waist to my knees were wracked with pain, with the Demons’ Dread moving towards the rest of me. The door opens, with a VERY surprised Aaron. With my last bit of energy, I manage to force out, “Help... Use... Water... From… Cove.” My legs finally give out from the pain, gravity pulling me forwards. Suddenly the dots close in and all I can feel is myself falling.

* * *

 

Aaron’s POV

When I answered the door, I wasn’t expecting a person - if it was even a person- to be there. It was dressed in all black with a bird-like face. What REALLY caught my attention were its wings. I recognized them from Friday night; this was the thing I had seen fly off! I would’ve kept that train of thought, but it mumbled something about helping it, and something incoherent about using fresh water from a cove on its wound, or something. Then it PASSED OUT... That was a real scare, and I had to catch it. It was surprisingly heavy, even WITH the wings.

I got a better grasp on it so that I could easily carry it. I contemplated bringing it to the guest room, then decided against it. I gently set it on my bed and quickly noticed a long scratch on its leg. So _that_ was the "wound" it was talking about. Water from a cove, huh? What on earth did it mean by- Hold on. Cove... there’s that little lagoon nearby...

I dash out of the room, not bothering to pick up my pencil case and textbooks I'd managed to knock off my desk. I cringe at the noise, closing the door gently, and then run out to the garden shed to grab a clean, watertight container with a big enough handle.

I put it on the ground, then shift from human to a hawk. I grab the container’s handle in my beak and pump my wings as hard my small body will allow until I get to the tunnel that leads to the lagoon. I shift back, opening the container and filling it with water from the waterfall. I reseal the container and fly to the house. I shift to human and run my bedroom, grab a cloth, and soak it in the water. I start to clean the cut, and when I see how quickly it stops the bleeding, I wet the cloth again and just rest it on its leg.

I look at its face and see that its facial features are in fact just part of a mask. I gently lift off the mask. What I see underneath is completely unexpected AT ALL: it wasn’t an ‘it’. It was a ‘she’. Hold on, is that... is that _Y/n?_ The quiet, nerdy girl who almost always wears black sweaters, even in tank-top weather? I guess it was. I didn’t expect to see muscles, dorsal thingies, wings, and _black_ veins on her back.

She stirred. Since she was on her back, I could see her dorsal thingies tense and relax. Her wings raised a little, almost hitting me in the face. She was obviously just sleeping now. Thankfully, she was breathing again. I look at her veins, deciding that it couldn’t healthy to have THAT much iron in her blood. Looking closer, I realize that they weren’t veins at all; it almost looked like... like _tattoos_. I’ll have to ask her _what the hell is going on_ when she wakes up.

                Hours passed, and my worry increased. Shouldn’t she have woken up by now? I wish I could help more, but I don’t know what else I could do. To make matters worse, I don’t know how her body functions anymore. I mean, her leg wound healed itself an hour ago. I guess she would’ve been pretty tired had she climbed that hill on foot, while injured.

For some reason I still felt like I should have done more, somehow.


	4. I Need U

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angst, torture, then some actual explanations of Y/n's past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry... This one could actually be separated into two parts from how long it is... but then the splitting has no actual use other than length, so I thought, "Mmm, nah." Get ready to experience some heartbreak, express some feelings, and more!

Third person pov

_Y/n woke up in a blindingly white room. She blinked a few times and realized she was on her stomach, with her wings and dorsals exposed. She saw her parents on either side of her._

_“Just relax, Y/n dear. Soon all of this, peculiarity," her voice turned tinged with a sour taste at the word, "will be done and gone.” Her mother cooed, softly stroking the space between her wings. The next thing she hears is the whirring of a saw._

_“Is she almost ready, Anne? I would like to get on with this.” Her father, Victor, said in a monotone voice, obviously exasperated and impatient._

_“What are you doing here? I thought you were still at the d-doctor’s convention, working on your big project.” Y/n said weakly, her voice shaking with fear and dread._

_“Oh, we were, but we found a much more,_ interesting _, project, to work on.” Her mother said. Her face was almost like one of a robot, void of any emotion. However, the glint in her eyes told Y/n otherwise. Her mother’s eyes were full of mad curiosity; one would usually only find in the eyes of a mad scientist. If the shoe fits..._

_“Why are you still here, then? Shouldn’t you be working on it?” Y/n’s voice croaked._

_“We_ are _working on our new project. You see, it’s a very special project. We have found a new species: we have named it the “monstres”. Would you like to guess why we named it that way?”_

_“Y-you, you named it after grandma’s favourite book, didn’t you? The one she wrote about me. You always said I had a heart as powerful as a monster.”_

_“My, my, what a clever girl we have raised,” Her mother said, grabbing her wrist harshly. ”Let’s see how tough she is, shall we? Yes. Let’s put our newest discovery to the test.” Y/n made eye-contact with the fire that was her mother’s soul just as the loud cutting machine was put to her wing nub. Y/n let out the loudest scream she had ever made in her life. The pain was excruciating, unbearable. Tears burned her face as she felt the saw tear through her flesh, bone, and scales. Her nerves were burning to her very core. As the saw began to cut into her spine, Y/n writhed underneath the leather bands that strapped her down. She was about to black out from the sensation when she heard a distant voice urgently calling her name. She felt herself being shaken awake._

_“Y/n! Y/n! Please wake up, please!”_

_‘No, I can’t hold on anymore. I-I, I can’t...’_

“Y/n! Y/N WAKE UP!” The voice yelled, finally bringing her back to earth.

She finally regained consciousness.  Her eyes sprang open, taking in her surroundings. She saw Aaron by her side, his eyes relaxing in relief. He leaned forward and held her tightly against him.

“Y/n, thank God, you’re awake!” He said, clutching her head against his shoulder.

Y/n was confused.

“How did I get here?” She asks, kind of relieved when he springs away from her.

“Oh right. Well, um, first you showed up at my door with a huge leg wound and asked for my help,” Y/n nodded. “Then you, uh, kind of collapsed. I got water from that lagoon and cleaned your cut as best I could, then you started breathing again.” She stopped him from continuing on.

“How do you know about the lagoon? Nobody else is supposed to know about it.”

“Well, no _human_ is supposed to know. I’m not human; I’m a shapeshifter.” Aaron said, looking away from Y/n.

“WHAT”

“Anyways, you just slept for like two hours, but then your tattoo things started glowing red, you started crying in your sleep, so I tried to wake you up, but you wouldn’t. I tried putting some of the cove’s water on your back, but it just made your tattoos glow a dark purple. Then, I tried putting it around your joint things, and then you woke up.”

“Wow. Sorry for literally passing out on you, by the way.” Y/n said, with her skin still damp from the cove water.

“Hey, no problem. I must ask, though: why did you pass out, and what did you dream about?” He asked, raising his head to face her.

“Well, I passed out from this plant called ‘Demon’s Dread’. If the oil it exudes enters into the bloodstream of a demon, it will cause what happened to me: numbness, temporary paralysis, unconsciousness, exhaustion, that sort of thing.” She answered, counting the effects on her blue-tipped fingers.

“And you managed to climb a hill with those? No wonder you fell unconscious...” Aaron mumbled under his breath. “But, you still have yet to tell me what you dreamt about that made you cry and all.” He continued before Y/n could even speak. "Actually, if you don't want to tell me, don't. I'm not gonna force you."

“No, it's alright, I’ll tell you. You trusted me and helped me, you deserve to know. I dreamt that my birth parents had found out I was a demon-““WHAT” “And had started treating me like an experiment.  They had strapped me down and had sawed off my wings, dorsals, and part of my spinal tissue. My mother said that my peculiarity would ‘be done and gone’.” She stopped, taking a breather before continuing on. “My wings are all that I have that makes me special, what makes me different. They are a crucial part of me, now. Flying makes me happy. My parents are horrible enough already; them taking away my wings has been my biggest fear since I found out I had wings.”

“What makes them so horrible?” Aaron asks, hoping for some clarification on the matter.

“Where to start... From the beginning, I guess. From childhood, they never cared about me. It was clear they hated me, in fact. They were constantly out of the country for work. So, they just left me with some family friends. Those two were horrible.”

“Your parents purposely left you bad people?” Aaron asked, an eyebrow raised incredulously.

“Oh no, those family friends were—and still are—the people I consider my parents. _They_ were the ones who helped me with my homework. _They_ were the ones who took care of me when I was sick. _They_ were the ones who taught me how to take care of myself. _They_ were the ones who taught me how to cook for myself at the house. _They_ were the ones who took me for flying lessons. _They_ were the ones who actually raised me _. They_ were the ones who care about me and love me. My birthparents are only that: the person who gave birth to me and a sperm donor. I’m pretty sure they regretted having me too.”

“Wow. Guess we had more in common than I thought we did. You aren’t the only one who was neglected and left with people who grew to know more about you than the ones you made you.”

All was silent as the two peculiars stared into space. Y/n broke out of her daze first when she made an important realization. “Was that you?”

“Sorry?”

“Were you the one who was watching me at the lagoon?”

“Uh- Yes. Err, I mean, no. Ah- Maybe-?” He sighs, giving up on lying. “Yes. It was me.”

“What exactly did you see?” Y/n asked, hoping he hadn’t witnessed too much.

“I’m not sure. I’m pretty sure I saw a big object just, hovering there, in the sky for a while. I thought it was an extremely large bird or something like that. It disappeared right after, though. I was really curious, so I looked for it in hawk form until the sunset was almost gone, and then I kind of gave up. I was there to take pictures for class, and there was a little pathway where you can see through towards the lagoon that I wanted to have as my background. I had shifted back to human to take pictures of the underside of the waterfalls. At the right angle, you could avoid your shadow, so the pictures seem like you’re actually there, and not just the photographer." He starts making small hand gestures while he talks. ' _Cute._ ' I think.

“So I’m preparing to take a picture when there’s the big bird from earlier- most likely you- that appears. I decide that with a little CGI, and a little photoshop, I could make something really magical out of it. I manage to get a few shots of it, and then it jumps off the cliff. The next time I saw it, was when I was taking a walk in the fields. I’m lying down in the canola fields when I see this black thing rush over my head, towards my house. I take it as a sign that I should be getting home. So, I do. Then you showed up at my doorstep.”

“Wow. Well, I’m glad it was you who saw me, then.” Y/n said, deeply confusing Aaron. “I’d rather have someone I know and trust than some stranger.” This may have seemed to help, but to Aaron, this confused him even more. She-she trusts him? Even with the way he’s treated her before? This girl is really something special. More than the wings and everything. Hearing his thoughts, Y/n blushes slightly and then reels herself back in. Why should she care? Oh wait; she’s practically fallen for him.

“I almost forgot. What’s on your back?” Aaron asks, desperate to break the silence. Truth be told, he didn’t want to seem awkward or self-conscious. _Especially_ in front of Y/n.

“Oh. You mean the designs and things?”

“Yeah, the ones that ended up darkening. How did you get them? Are they just designs? Were you born with them?” Aaron appealed, quite curious at this point.

“Well, basically they’re magical tattoos that show my emotions,” She summed up.

“Wait what how the _hell_ does that work?”

“They’re like a mix between a fingerprint, a life force and a tattoo. What happens is that basically you go to the equivalent of a tattoo shop in hell and a specialist, called an Awakener, make your designs. Usually, the Awakener is very familiar with your family line, so they’re like a second family to us. Mine had a very good sense of humour and was very helpful and calming.

They become visible when the pain has happened, and as the pain heals, so do the marks. They sort of… _activate_.They change colours and brightness according to our current state. When they turned red, it meant I was feeling extreme sorrow, regret, anger, and almost any other negative emotion you can imagine. Basically: the lighter and brighter, the happier I am.

 

“They glow a different colour for everybody. Mine glow blue when I'm happy because I have control over the elements. Some animals, if they’re willing, or don’t realize it; usually I ask permission. Everybody’s is different. Every demon is unique. Every single one of us is peculiar. Not all of us have powers since it’s really only the powerful demons that get them. I learned that the demon gene works differently than other genes that human have. It will only appear and activatewhen one of the Chosen needs it.”

 

 

“How do the Chosen become, you know, chosen?” Aaron asks. He is completely mesmerized in this deep history of Y/n's.

 

“Basically, God works together with a powerful demon to create the soul, pass down the gene, and weave the destiny of the Chosen. If something happens that essentially breaks off part of the soul, God- and the demon that helped create it -will grant it powers according to the ‘way’ of the soul.” Y/n answers, trying her best to remember what Gabriel and Mary had told her.

 

“What happened that made part of your soul break off?” Aaron inquired, deeply worried about his (hopefully) friend.

 

“I don’t know. Nobody ever told me. I think it has something to do with my ah… dark past. But I’m guessing it has something to do with my birthparents.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Well, you see…” Y/n decided to just rip the band-aid off and tell him. “My monsters of parents would abuse me. Let’s just say that I learned everything from my parents, and I learned it the hard way with my birthparents.”

 

“I’m sorry you had to go through that. I must say, though, it’s very reassuring to see that you’ve healed beautifully.” Aaron said in a low voice, slowly raising his head to meet her ironically soft honey brown eyes and _Oh my God it feels like he could drown in them and he'd be okay with that if it meant he could be wi-_ 'Woah, there, inner Aaron. No need to catch feelings, snap out of it'. “How did you learn all of this?”

 

“Well, I learned it from the people I consider my actual parents. They have lots of books and gave me a key to their library. It’s all underground with tunnels to different places; one leads to hell, and there’s one that leads to a path by the lagoon. I have a giant nest in-between of some solid trees, where I keep books, chargers, blankets, pillows, snacks, and more. Also, sometimes there are these little owls that come, so I usually bring some rodents from the fields to give them some practice in hunting. I built myself a ceiling, a rainwater collector, and more. I even wove myself a door for when I want to be alone. I called in a favour and got a spell cast so that only those who I want to see it, can see it. It’s my little safe haven.” Y/n focuses her vision back on Aaron, who she notices is staring at her with an expression she’s never seen before. “What are you looking at?” Y/n waves a hand in front of his face, and instead of being startled, he gently grabs her hand. He leans down and brings her hand to his lips.

 

“I’m looking at you, of course,” Aaron says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. The two broke eye-contact only to blink. Y/n leans toward Aaron and slowly moving closer until they were mere centimeters apart.

 

“Someone’s being straightforward,” Aaron whispers.

 

“Would you rather have me be confusing?” Y/n says cheekily, a small smile on her face.

 

“I wouldn’t rather have you any other way.”

 

They both leaned in, accidentally bonking heads and noses.

"Take two." Y/n snickers and Aaron has to hold back a laugh(and totally doesn't _completely_ fail).With that, they meld together in an innocent yet prolonged kiss. When they finally broke apart, Aaron was the colour of a ripe tomato, and Y/n’s designs were glowing the brightest blue they had in a long, long, time.

 

The two lovebirds decided to work together to get to know each other as friends, instead of mere classmates. Their schedules didn't line up seamlessly, and they had their fair share of minor disagreements they were able to solve. They weren't perfect friends; far from it. But they spent time and effort to make it this far, and they weren't about to give up now. To go back to acquaintances that dodged each other in the classrooms and avoided each other in the halls would be the unthinkable. To throw away every aspect of their relationship except strangers down the drain...

 

“So, I just, think of a happy memory, right?” Y/n asks, making sure she had it right.

 

“Simple as that,” Aaron confirmed.

 

“Here goes.” Y/n thinks of the time she went to the shooting range with Baldwin, and she feels her designs glow faintly. She hears the snap of a camera, and Aaron says, “Hmmm…”

She heard the *snap* of the camera and a frustrated sigh. “What’s wrong?”

 

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Aaron looks down at his camera again. “It’s just that you can barely see the blue glow of it. Nothing Photoshop can’t fix, though.”

 

“I can try again if it’d make things easier…” Y/n says.

 

“Really? That’d actually be a huge help, Y/n!” His head shoots up in excitement, eyes sparkling. Aaron’s smile is really nice when he isn’t faking it… Wait, what am I thinking? Oh well… If I like him, then I guess it can’t be helped. I’m done with hiding my emotions.

 

“Y’know, you have a really nice smile, Aaron.” She says shamelessly.

 

“Oh… Really?” He says, a little flustered at the sudden compliment.

 

“Yeah! It’s a shame you don’t smile genuinely more often.” Y/n says, looking down at her hands. If she had looked up, she would have seen the red dusted across Aaron’s cheekbones. “Well, should we try again, then?”

 

“Ah- Yeah.” He quickly brings his camera up to his eye. Y/n has a sudden thought: “Hey, my designs glowed when we kissed…” She thinks of the moments spent with Aaron. Listening to his semi-concerned thoughts; the relieved look on his face when she regained consciousness; the satisfied expression he had after they shared a kiss; the flustered look he had after she complimented his smile.

Then she started thinking about why he did all these things. 'I guess he really likes me if he was that worried, relieved, satisfied, and so easily thrown off.' She started thinking about why she felt the same. It was all the little things; the way his eyes would crinkle up and his dimple would show when he genuinely laughed; how easily he got concerned for her; how he willingly took care of her (even if she did lose consciousness); the way his eyes did the anime sparkle thing when he got excited; his dying-seal-laugh; even his little habit of drumming his fingers while he got impatient after he had finished a test.

' _Fuck._ '

Her breathing turned shallow at a sudden realization.

' _I fell deep for this dork._ '

' _Oh well. Too late now. Might as well suffer through this one as well._


	5. Butterfly

In the end, they got a few great shots, but they decided against using them. Instead, when it rained on Saturday, they called Baldwin to help them with some cool shots. He had pretty steady hands from archery practice, so the shots were sure to turn out great. Aaron was surprised to find out that Baldwin already knew Y/n’s little secret, and that he had a secret of her own. Let’s just say that Baldwin was no stranger to woods and had a way with horses that mystified her own parents. They decided to take it in the fields. Once the downpour had slowed to a mere sprinkle, they drove the 4x4 to Aaron’s sanctuary. They were sat up high in a weeping willow tree, with Y/n’s wings surrounding them and protecting them from the harsh weather that wasn’t so harsh anymore. With the focus on them and the highest quality lens and camera that they could afford, you could see the smallest details; from the water droplets rolling off Y/n’s wings, down to each long, dark eyelash that were against Aaron’s freckle-speckled cheek.

For some reason, Aaron felt completely safe in her arms and wings-- he felt at home. Aaron takes this time to think about their relationship. Not contemplate it, just think about it. How they had gone from barely acquaintances, to being comfortable practically pressed up against each other.

_Why does she even like me?_ He wonders. _Y/n. She’s amazing: she’s beautiful, smart, kind, unique, and she even understands being different from society’s expectations. She knows when to pick her battles. She’s not perfect, but she’s pretty damn close. She’s peculiar; in the most amazing and extraordinary way. Then there’s just me. I get half-ass grades when I try as hard as I can. Even when I study from 4:00 to 10:30, get a good sleep, and eat a good breakfast, I can maybe get a 70 when it comes to tests. Also, I’m too ambitious. If you don’t think that’s a flaw, look what happened to Hamlet. I do well in quizzes and things that contribute maybe 20% of our marks, and then do horrible on all the things that actually count for more marks. Almost_ _all of my grades are maybe 75’s. I have the personality of an old truck. I have to fake who I am to even have friends who probably don’t even care about me._

 

_ You know, I kind of wish you had told me this sooner.  _ He suddenly heard in his head, one he would recognize anywhere.

 

_ Y/n? _

 

_ Yes? _

 

_ Since when can you read minds? And how much did you *hear*? _

 

_ When my wings came, and I heard enough. Why do you think so highly of me? _

 

_ Because you’re worth being thought of so highly.  _

 

_ You think so? _

 

_ Yeah. I do. _

 

_ For what it’s worth… I think you’re amazing… _

 

_ Why? _

 

_ Well, for one, you can turn into a freaking owl. I can’t even use my powers without being extremely careful. You’re actually comfortable in front of large crowds, while I feel like I’m suffocating anytime I’m in front of any group of people that I don’t know bigger than like 10 people. To make matters worse for me, I’m not even human… Can I trust you with something personal? _

 

_ Of course! _

 

_ Well… I used to go to a different school before I switched to (your high school), and I had this friend named Delaney. She and I were as close as it gets, and one day I decided to reveal the fact that I was a demon.  _

 

_ And? How did she react? _

 

_ She was completely disgusted. She screamed at me to get away from her and to never talk to her ever again. While she was scrambling to get away from me, she threw a glass pitcher at me, and I had to surround myself with my wings in order to not get shards in my eyes. She said horrific things about me to everyone. They didn’t believe her, thankfully, but… after the incident, I decided to just change schools to get away from it all. My birthparents sure as hell didn’t care, so it wasn’t too difficult of a process. _

 

_ That’s horrible!  _

 

_ That’s why I’m always so extra careful when I use my powers. I don’t want anyone to be scarred by me. It’s better for me to just stay in the back, where I’m out of the way and there’s nobody I could hurt. Baldwin was different, though: he understood, and we shared secrets. He’s the only one I’ve told since. _

 

Their thoughts were silenced for a while.

 

_Y/n, you know I would never purposely hurt you, right?_

 

_Yeah, I know. I’m really glad you aren’t like Delaney was._

 

Y/n drew Aaron closer, who gladly snuggled closer to her. That night, they stayed there long after Baldwin had gone home. They grew closer in the only way possible in a tree branch. It took a while, a few times where they almost fell off, and lots of little scooches. They weren’t quite ready to leave each other yet, so Aaron spent the night in his new favourite spot: snuggled up to Y/n, with their arms around each other, enveloped in Y/n’s soft wings.


	6. Epilogue: Young Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A cheesy happy ending.

One evening, Aaron and Y/n had brought the essentials for a sleepover to Y/n’s nest. They watched cheesy dramas & talked/thought to each other, ate snacks that they probably shouldn’t be eating, and eventually went back to their position from that fated day in the willow tree. Their mental conversations ranged from their favourite foods (“You  _ voluntarily  _ eat dairy-free pizza?” “Yes, I do! And it’s delicious, thank you very much! You’ll have to share some with me sometime.” “Happily.”) to if Scylla was a Hydra or not(“They are  _ completely  _ different!” “ _ They’re really not!” _ ). 

The two unearthly beings were watching the stars together when a thought came to Y/n’s mind.  _ I never thought I’d say this, but I’m really glad I cut myself with Demon’s Dread and collapsed at your front door.  _

_ Really? Why do you say that? _

_ Because if I hadn’t, then I wouldn’t be here at the moment. _

_ Well, duh. You would have been unconscious until someone found you. _

_ Not that way, sweetie-- I mean, yes, I would probably be unconscious, but  _ _ I wouldn’t be here. Cuddled up and watching the stars. With you, the person I’ve come to love. _

_ Oh. Well if that’s the case, then I’m glad too. Because I wouldn’t be here either. Cuddling and watching the stars. And with you, the person I’ve loved since said person told me their story and truth. Hey, that’s the first time we’ve said “I love you” since we started dating! _

_ Really? Because I think it all the time.  _ Y/n kisses the side of Aaron’s head.

_ Is that so?  _

_ Mhmm. _

_ Now I hope you know that I mean it when I say it, no matter how often I say it.  _

_ Yep, I know. Now, let’s get some sleep for once.  _ At that, Aaron turned around and stretched to peck Y/n on the forehead. 

_ Goodnight, my little angel.  _ She smiled at the ironic pet name (one that she had grown quite fond of, too).

_ Goodnight, my lovely sunshine.  _ Aaron snuggled deeper into Y/n’s cozy arms and sighed in contentment when she surrounded him in her soft plumage.  _ I love you,  _ she hastily added.

_ I love you too. _ And they drifted off into sleep, where they dreamt of soft clouds, good memories, and an ever better future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I really hoped you liked reading this as much as I did writing it. Have a wonderful life, my dear readers (^u^)


End file.
